Five missed opportunities analysed – Negativity & lack of intensity could cost Arsenal title

North London derby Sunday 

Nobody can doubt that Mikel Arteta has done a great job to transform Arsenal from a complete mess into challengers for top trophies. But if they never get over the line, essentially all of that becomes pointless. The Gunners have missed numerous opportunities this season to practically put the title race to bed and put themselves in a position where they would almost definitely lift the Premier League trophy for the first time in 22 years come May. This week’s draw at bottom-placed Wolves has to be the worst of the lot. After the game, manager Arteta admitted that Arsenal “have to blame ourselves”.

His team were 2-0 up against the side propping up the table, yet after conceding to a fine strike by Hugo Bueno to halve the deficit, they sat back, went into their shells, time wasted and offered very little going forward. Declan Rice could be seen remonstrating with Arsenal’s physios as they ran on to the pitch yet again to see to a Gabriel injury. Unlike his teammates or manager, the midfielder was getting frustrated by his team’s lack of intensity and front footedness. Ultimately, after a calamitous mix up between Brazilian Gabriel and keeper David Raya, Wolves equalised at the death. Even after that, Arsenal were unable to switch into an attacking mindset and box Wolves in for the remaining three minutes.

Arsenal are without hesitation an extremely tactically astute outfit, but it seems they’re determined to just play the percentages week-in week-out. There’s less chance of conceding on paper if Arsenal take 40 seconds to take a throw-in and make sure they’re set up in a perfect defensive shape. There’s more chance of scoring from a corner if 40 seconds are taken to unsettle the defence. There’s less chance of shipping a goal if you are in a good shape with good distances rather than committing too many numbers forward. These methods can work, but it doesn’t take into account a ‘worldy’ strike from the opposition, a defensive mix up or a lucky deflection.

It also makes it very hard to fire up your own crowd for home matches when everything is so slow. At times, of course champions have to grind results out, but they also have to kill teams off – something we are seeing very little from the Gunners this term. The ‘bottlers’ tag that has been thrown at Arsenal in the last three seasons is a little harsh. In 2022/23 they did let a big lead slip, but weren’t a side expected to make the top four, let alone win the league hat season, and finished the campaign with Rob Holding at centre-back. In 2023/24, they won 16 of their last 18 matches. Last term, they were never in it. But this season there is no hiding place – the tag is fair if they don’t become champions.

Arsenal’s missed opportunities this season

It must first be noted that Arsenal have still put themselves in a great position despite the missed opportunities and remain top of the league. But it really should be ‘their year’ and there are a number of matches they will look back on with regret should they fail to win it. For the first of which, we go back to gameweek three at Anfield. Arsenal went to the champions, who were already showing signs of weakness in their performances. Many felt they were there for the taking, but as the minutes went on, it felt like the away side were happy to take the point and move on. Until Dominik Szoboszlai hit a sensational long range free-kick into the back of the net with not long to go. The Gunners weren’t bad on the day, but they didn’t smell blood. Three points dropped.

In November, Arsenal went to promoted but high-flying Sunderland. This was off the back of the Gunners winning their last five league matches. Confidence was high, and despite going behind to a goal from their former defender Dan Ballard, Arteta’s team turned it around and were 2-1 up as the game entered the latter stages. Cue a huge shift in mentality as Arsenal then sat back and just tried to defend what they had. The pressure told after a late Brian Brobbey goal made it 2-2 and gave Sunderland a share of the points. Two points dropped.

In late November, Arsenal rocked up to Stamford Bridge to play London rivals Chelsea. Before the match, a point wouldn’t have been the end of the world, with the Blues in a good run of form at the time, just six points behind the Gunners. However, when Moisés Caicedo received a red card for a reckless tackle after just 38 minutes, the onus was on Arsenal to walk away with all three points. Yet there was still the sense throughout the performance that a point was okay, and that the Gunners could just pick up more points further down the line. This has become a dangerous habit, and in the end Arsenal meandered to a 1-1 draw. They had just three shots on target in the second half. Two points dropped.

We could have easily chucked their previous Premier League game in this list – a 0-0 draw at home to Liverpool – but nine days later that scoreline repeated itself at Nottingham Forest. With Manchester City losing the derby to Manchester United earlier in the day, Arsenal went to the City Ground with the chance to go nine points clear at the top. Yet, they mustered just nine shots and three shots on target in a damp squid of a game and performance. Rice could be seen at the end of the game saying ‘Every f*cking time’, presumably referring to Arsenal’s lack of intensity and attacking output. It was a chance to make a statement and race into a huge lead, but once again not taken. Two points dropped.

Then of course it’s to the aforementioned capitulation at Wolves. Their opponents have won just one Premier League game all season. Arsenal had the chance to go seven points clear, all be it with Man City having a game in hand, and change the narrative. Instead it’s now in Pep Guardiola’s teams hands and the nervousness is going to ramp up around the Emirates. An inexcusable performance and inexcusable result. Arsenal fans will hope it serves it as a lesson to Arteta and his players, because if they fail to get over the line, this night will truly haunt the Gunners faithful. Two big points dropped.

North London derby can offer remorse

If Sunday’s North London derby already felt big, it’s now colossal. Igor Tudor will take charge of his first game as Tottenham boss, with Spurs having 12 days to prepare to take on their rivals at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Arsenal need a huge reaction. The result is of course vital, but Arteta’s team need more than that. In a title race, you expect to have some nervy games where you hang on, but this is happening every week for Arsenal supporters. They need to go and beat Spurs, but they also need to dominate. A convincing win is needed. More dropped points, and all of the above missed opportunities could be rued for years to come.